


Pocky Day

by atwas, Cresstionmark



Category: Call of Cthulhu: Path of Perdition (Web Series), Internet Remix, Rolling with Remix: Masks of Nyarlathotep (Web Series)
Genre: College AU, Modern Era, Multi, The Pocky Game, gratuitous makeouts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:48:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27518638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atwas/pseuds/atwas, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cresstionmark/pseuds/Cresstionmark
Summary: November 11th is upon us, and with it, a very important celebration--as Mason Allen and Sybil Cordova know all too well.College AU- Takes place in the Computer Age AU as well.
Relationships: Disaster Gang - Relationship, Sybil Cordova/James O'Connel
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	Pocky Day

The student body of NYU bustled through the halls, rushing to get away from the nipping cold of Fall outside. They huddled together in small groups, chittering amongst themselves. The walls were adorned with their own slew of messages, red white and blue, proclaiming: “Happy Veteran's Day”, “Happy Armistice”, and “Happy Remembrance Day”-- every synonym for the same event at the same time. 

Sybil Cordova pushed through the signs and people with a clear destination in mind, and-- to no-one’s surprise-- with three men in tow. The man whose hand she was gripping was James O’Connel, a properly shaped gentleman; Sybil’s current boyfriend and love of her life. Following swiftly, though slightly behind, was Kit Sullivan: an older student, but not by much-- even though his demeanor and the scarring on his face would say otherwise. Behind that was Sunil Pandey. Only a year younger than Kit, but with a baby face that made him look like a freshman, he brought up the rear and kept pace all the same. The group snaked a line through the crowd, eventually coming to a study room in the back hall. This was the room they typically used, having been a study group for a few years now, but Sybil seemed more keen to get there today than she had been in a long time. She swung the door open and was met by a well-kempt blond, who was sitting on the table, awaiting the group’s arrival.

“What’s up, family? How’s life treatin’ ya? It’s like I haven’t seen you in ages!”

“Mason, we just had class.” said James, filing into the room after Sybil, who had already gone to meet Mason Allen on his perch.

“What’s this all about?” Sunil said, ducking his head into the room as Kit shut the door behind them.

Mason smirked. He glanced down at Sybil with a knowing look, who met his eyes before beaming to the rest of the group.

“Do you not know what today is?” Sybil said with feigned shock.

“Remembrance Day.” Kit said, hanging his jacket on the coat rack next to the door.

“Well, yeah… but no.” Mason replied.

“Singles Day?” Sunil questioned.

“Is it Singles Day!? Is that a thing?-- Why do you know that?” Mason said, shooting Sunil a look.

“Well-- I-- I’m well cultured!”   
  
“Yeah, well fuckin cultured. Don’t even know what today is.”

“Okay. Then what  _ is _ today, Mason?” James said, slowly pressing his hand on the table.

Sybil, who had been bouncing on the side throughout this exchange, couldn’t hold it in anymore. “It’s Pocky Day!” She exclaimed, slamming her tiny fist on the table for emphasis.

“Pocky Day.” Kit said, deadpan.

“Pocky Day.” James looked between Mason and Sybil.   
  
“Pocky Day.” Sunil put a finger to his forehead.

“Alright. I’ll ask.” Kit pulled up a chair. “What’s Pocky Day?”

“I’m glad you asked, my fine fellow!” Mason said, ducking under the desk and rummaging around as Sybil continued.

“So in Japan, and everywhere else, today is 11/11. It looks like two sticks of Pocky. Pocky is… It’s these… long, thin cookies, dipped in chocolate! Or matcha! Or literally anything that’s delicious! Really popular over there. It’s a little harder to find in America, but, if you know the right stores you might be able to get your hands on some.”

“And guess who got this shit on sale!” Mason hoisted a large backpack up on the desk, and dumped it-- colourful boxes all labeled “Pocky” spilling out.

“That is quite a lot.” Sunil said, marvelling at the hoard.

“What are you planning on doing with all this?” Kit grabbed a box.

“Well.” Sybil said, a grin crawling across her face. “There’s this little thing called the Pocky game--”

“And what exactly is the Pocky game?” James said, looking as though he knew exactly what the Pocky game was.

“Well, it’s simple.” Mason began, grabbing his own box. “Allow Sybil and I to demonstrate.” He continued, simultaneously flipping it open like a fresh pack of smokes. He opened the silver package, revealing the cookies inside, and pulled one out slowly. For maximum drama. He toyed with it for a minute before bringing it to his lips, like a fancy French cigarette holder. He topped off his section of the performance by looking Sybil in the eyes and, with his teeth, wiggling the stick up and down.

Sybil brought a hand to her chest, clearly flattered by this invitation. She leaned in and put the other end of the cookie in her mouth.

Mason inched forward, eating more of the cookie, and Sybil followed suit. The two took turns, making increasingly ridiculous faces as they got closer and closer to the middle. When there was absolutely no more cookie to see, the two kissed as dramatically and ridiculously as they had been in the lead-up-- which for them was with just enough restraint to make it clear that it was a joke.

James leaned back in his chair, clapping slowly at the spectacle. “Nice.”

Mason and Sybil smiled at him, and they both took a bow. “Thank you,” Mason said, with a wink.

“So, are we done?” James said, putting his elbow on the table and setting his chin in his hand. Having a pretty good idea that no, in fact, they were not.

“No! We’re not!” said Sybil. James nodded his head matter-of-factly. Of course they weren’t.

“We didn’t ask you all here just to spectate-- you guys gotta play too.” Mason said, pointing at the remaining three with a stick of Pocky.

Sunil, who had been frozen since the mention of the words ‘Pocky game’, came to at this exact moment. “No. No we don’t!”

“Well. Have fun I guess.” Kit moved to get out of his chair.

“Oh no. We mean you too, old man. Sit down.”

Kit folded his arms, but remained seated. “I guess someone needs to chaperone.”

“Sounds like I’m going first, then.” James said, rising from his chair. He moseyed on over to Sybil before leaning down to meet her at eye level. “Any… flavour preferences?”

“We actually bought some whiskey ones I thought you might like.” She said, with a sly smile. She picked through the pile and came up with a fresh box of whiskey flavoured Pocky. She opened the box, peeled the wrapper, and slipped the stick out like fine lingerie. She put it up to her lips and offered it to James-- waiting for him to accept her challenge.

He obliged, but much like everything else, it was on his terms. Sybil took a bite, and James would just cock his head slightly as though he was unimpressed. She would take another, and he’d coax her a bit more. She would persist. He would keep taunting, keeping the best smile he could on his face around the Pocky stick. Eventually there wasn’t much room left between the two and, as a treat, James closed the gap. The kiss wasn’t as dramatic, but it was still passionate and a lot more genuine.

“Wow, dinner and a show! Save some for the rest of us, will ya? James, since you just went-- take your pick.” Mason said, gesturing to the rest of the room.

James eventually came up for air, and surveyed the other men. Mason seemed fine, but Sunil looked as though he was about to leave his skin, and Kit was very pointedly looking away.

James smirked and leaned up from the table. He began to walk around the small room, eyeing each man just long enough to get a rise out of them, but looking away as soon as he got a reaction. When he made it back to the peak of the table, where Sybil sat watching, he sighed and said “I dunno. I just can’t pick one.” Something about his inflection was less than reassuring. And it was even less reassuring when he opened one of the packs of Pocky and drew out three sticks.

He fanned them out between his fingers, looked at the men, then looked at the Pocky. He looked at the three men again, but one at a time: Mason, calm but eager. Sunil, shaking. And Kit, who was trying to be unreadable, but the discomfort still showed in his body. James’s smile widened further before he closed the Pocky fan and snapped all three in half.

The tension in the room lingered for a second before Sunil and Kit visibly relaxed.

Mason, on the other hand, seemed genuinely disappointed by this. “Aw, that’s no fun. Got me all worked up for nothin.”

“That’s cheating!” said Sybil, also genuinely disappointed.

“What can I say? These guys aren’t my type.” James said, handing each of the men a half stick of Pocky. “Tell you what. I’ll make it up to you.” He glided over to Sybil before kissing her three times: once on the forehead, once on the cheek, and once again on the lips. “Is that enough?”

Sybil conceded with a light huff.   
  
“Hey, what about me?” said Mason. 

James kissed his own hand, and then lightly papped it against Mason’s face. “That’s the best you’re gettin.”

“Aw James, you shouldn’t have!”

“The show is over then? I have... A class in… Now! And uh--” Sunil edged closer to the door.

“Not so fast, Mr. Pandey.” Mason pointed at Sunil with a stick of Pocky. “You haven’t played a single round.”

“Well yes, but I don’t--”   
  
“Oh, and Kit hasn’t either!” Sybil piped up.

“Okay. Two birds with one stone!” Mason said. “Pick a flavour, gentlemen.”   
  
Sunil sighed and dropped his bag at the door before returning to the table, shoulders slumped. Mason slowly slid the pile of Pocky boxes across the table, towards Sunil and Kit; and began to list off the flavours.   
  
“Well, we got Mint. Chocolate. Mango. Papaya. Strawberry. Cookies and Cream--”   
  
“--We’ll take that one, thanks.” Sunil grabbed the Cookies and Cream Pocky box and set it on the table before delicately opening the package.

Kit, at this point, had buried his face entirely in his hands. After a moment, Kit took a deep breath and sat up in his chair. “You sure you’re ok with this?”

“Well I was going to ask you the same thing.”

Kit nodded. Sunil nodded back.

Sunil put the unflavoured end of the Pocky stick in his mouth, and offered the other end to Kit. Kit inched forward in his chair, and took it. The process was slow going. One would inch forward, then the other would follow-- barely making any ground. It was slow and methodical, the two catching glances at each other, and then the Pocky stick. But there was only so much time, and only so much stick, and eventually they were both to the middle. As they reached the point of no return, their lips fluttered next to each other with the lightest of touches. And at that moment, just as their lips touched, Kit jerked back.

This disoriented Sunil for a second, who nearly fell forward with what was remaining of the cookie poking out of his mouth. He caught himself before face-planting, then immediately looked up to Kit. Kit was half a cherry-tomato-- the left side of his face was about as red as it could possibly get. Kit turned slightly, as if to shield the right side of his face, and avoided Sunil’s gaze.

Sunil, ever-curious but ultimately respectful, looked away-- tipping the brim of his hat over his face-- and sucked the rest of the cookie into his mouth.

“Oh we’re getting spicy over here!” Mason whistled, and Kit buried his face even deeper into his hands. “Okay. I want a piece.”

“I mean, Mason, don’t you think it’s a little--”   
  
“--Ah ah ah! Not talkin to you, Mr. Pandey. I was talkin to Dr. Sullivan.”

Kit groaned and stared up at the ceiling, as though it were the most interesting thing he had ever seen in his life. “Really, Mason?”

“Yeah. Really.” Mason grabbed another unopened box, this time an off-brand passionfruit version, and grinned like the Cheshire Cat.   
  


Kit took a moment to regain his composure, took a deep breath, and leaned forward-- his elbow on the table. “Fine.”

“Good. Now open your mouth and say ‘ah’.”   
  
Sybil choked on her own laughter in the background. Kit however, took the box himself and opened it. He decisively took a stick of Pocky, and put it between his lips.

Mason leaned forward, so he was practically laying down on the tabletop. He propped his chin up on one hand, and playfully walked the other over to where Kit’s hand was still on the table. Kit took his hand off the table entirely. “Aw. You’re playin hard to get, huh?” Mason shimmied forward and considered the other end of the cookie before looking back up at Kit. “Well, I think you’ll find the ball is  _ entirely _ in my court.”

Kit looked down at the Pocky, and then up to meet Mason’s gaze. Mason, seeing the fear in Kit’s eyes… decided to take mercy on him, and sat back upright, leaving the cookie hanging from Kit’s mouth. “Aight Doc. I’ll give you a way out. How about this? Ya ever heard of an indirect kiss?”   
  
Kit nodded, then Mason motioned to take the Pocky from Kit. Kit let it go into his hand, and Mason held it upright. “I kiss one end, and you kiss the other side of the same end. Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

With Kit’s permission, Mason kissed the end of the Pocky stick, then held it out for Kit to take. He did, and then with only slight hesitation, kissed the other side.

Mason winked. “See? That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Kit just took a bite out of the cookie and leaned back in his chair, then turned to look at Sunil, who had already picked up his bag and had his hand on the doorknob.

Sunil, who could feel the eyes on his back, winced and turned around. He was right. Every single pair of eyes was on him. “Oh, come on you guys. I already paid my dues, I did a round!”

Kit narrowed his eyes slightly. Sunil, once more, dropped his bag at the door before returning to the table-- shoulders slumped.

“So. Who’s it going to be?” Sunil said, defeated.

“I haven’t had a turn in a while.” Sybil walked around the table to meet Sunil at the other end, picking up a Pocky box on the way. Strawberry.

She placed the Pocky stick in her mouth, waiting expectantly. The two were probably the closest in height, so Sunil did not have to bend too far down to meet her. She closed her eyes and Sunil took a pause to look at Mason, to look at Kit, and to look at James. James waved his hand as though to say ‘go on’, while Mason sent air kisses. Kit, his arms still folded, was doing what he said he would be doing-- chaperoning.

“I’m waiting.” said Sybil, catching Sunil’s attention, her eyes now open.

Sunil shot one more look back at the guys before finally taking the cookie in his mouth and nibbling it slightly. Sybil moved forward an average amount, her ruby lips moving closer steadily, but with confidence. Sunil’s lips were shaking, but he inched on, met once again by Sybil advancing. He didn’t know where to look. If he looked at her eyes, he’d see exactly how much she was enjoying this. If he looked at her lips, the nerves would overtake him. And if he looked away, he would have to deal with the fear of the unknown. The game went on. He could feel his heart beating, tapping out a staccato rhythm on the inside of his chest. The room hazed around him as his focus narrowed entirely to the other end of the stick of Pocky. And to Sybil. To Sybil Cordova, who was fierce and immaculate. He shut his eyes. The known was definitely scarier than the unknown would ever be. 

There was a snap. Sunil’s eyes opened to see Sybil-- giggling in front of him, the bulk of the cookie sticking out of her mouth. She continued the laugh through chews as she finished off the cookie. “Well! It looks like you lost. Which means I get a prize!” She said, before snatching his hat off the top of his head and putting it on top of her own curls.

Sunil, remembering his own personhood, protested. “We didn’t say anything about prizes!”

“Then why do I have your hat, Sunil? Clearly, I won it.” Sybil said, walking to the other side of the room.

“She did win fair and square.” James said, intercepting Sybil and pulling her into his lap.

“But that’s not--”

“You heard him. Fair and square, Sunil. But you can win it back.” Mason held out an already open box of chocolate orange Pocky. “I’ll even let you take the first bite.”

Sunil took the stick from the box and regarded it for a moment.   
  
“Well go on.” said Mason. “Unless you’re scared.”

Sunil put the flavoured end of the cookie in his mouth, and Mason replied with a grin.   
  
“Oh! So you  _ can _ play along! Alright. Let’s have some fun.” Mason took the other end of the stick into his mouth and, as promised, let Sunil move first. Sunil wavered, still taking smaller bites. Mason took a large bite out of the cookie and smiled, looking Sunil dead in the eyes. “You’re gonna play it slow, huh?” Sunil took a small bite. Mason took another chunk. He laughed through his teeth. “Ya really are a pussy, ain’t ya?”

Mason didn’t see it coming. One moment, there was half a cookie between them-- the next, Sunil Pandey had a firm lock on his lips. The kiss was deep and full of rage, and left Mason dazed when they finally parted. Mason’s mouth was left with nothing but the faint taste of orange-- and in Sunil’s teeth was a full Pocky stick. He took a bite out of what was initially his end, and threw the rest into the nearby garbage.

“I believe we’re done here.” Sunil said, retrieving his hat, heading back to the door, and grabbing his bag for the third time.

Mason, patting his clothes down, said “Yeah. I think, uh, think that’s everyone. Right?”

The room went silent, and they all turned to Kit and Sybil.

The two looked at each other, and then looked back at the group. There was an awkward shuffling around the room. Kit went to the table and grabbed a box of Pocky-- original-- opened it, and handed Sybil a cookie before taking one himself. “Cheers.”

They tapped their cookies together like fine wine glasses, and ate them separately.

“That’s good enough for me!” Mason swept the remaining boxes off of the table, and back into his bag.

“What are you going to do with all those?” Sunil asked.

“Would you like to find out, Mr. Pandey?” Mason wiggled his eyebrows.

“Disgusting. But I would like a box.”

“I’ll take a few of those off your hands too.” James reached into the bag and took a few boxes without waiting for an answer. He tossed one to Sybil.

Sunil swooped into the bag himself, grabbed a couple of boxes, and offered one to Kit.

Kit took the box, and looked back to the rest of the group. “So, we are actually going to be studying tomorrow, right?”

“Right.” 


End file.
